Field
The present invention relates generally to retractable coverings for architectural openings such as windows, doors, archways, or the like, and includes a vertically extending fabric material that can be retracted to one side of an architectural opening by rolling at least a portion of the fabric about a vertical roller along the side of the covering. A control system for retracting and extending the covering is coordinated so that movement of a free edge of the fabric between open and closed positions is synchronized with the wrapping of the fabric around the roller.
Description of the Relevant Art
Retractable coverings for architectural openings such as windows, doors, archways, or the like, have assumed numerous forms over a number of years. Retractable coverings include horizontal blinds such as venetian blinds and vertical blinds where vertically oriented vanes are suspended from a headrail with the vertical blind covering being very similar to a venetian blind in operation except the vanes or slats for the blind are vertically oriented rather than horizontally.
More recently, cellular shades have become popular as they are not only aesthetically appealing but also inherently have thermal insulating qualities. Cellular shades have included shades with horizontally disposed transversely collapsible tubes of a fabric material which can be raised into a retracted position or lowered into an extended position across the architectural opening in which it is mounted. Similarly, cellular shades have been formed where one fabric forms a backing sheet while a second fabric is adhesively or otherwise secured to the backing sheet while forming loops of fabric that simulate a roman shade or the like.
While some horizontal blinds are retracted into a stack adjacent a headrail for the covering, some blinds are wrapped around rollers, which are horizontally disposed within the headrail in a concealed location. Roll-up shades are desirable in that they require less visual space when retracted than shades that are gathered such as a venetian blind or the like.
Vertical shades are typically gathered adjacent one or both sides of an architectural opening so that in a retracted position they occupy space within the architectural opening thereby partially blocking the view through the opening. It would be desirable to retract vertical coverings and the like adjacent a side of the opening in a manner that did not unnecessarily obstruct vision through the architectural opening.
It is to provide a retractable covering that extends and retracts horizontally toward and away from a side of an architectural opening in a manner that does not unnecessarily usurp vision through the architectural opening that the present invention has been developed.